(A/N: Things get a little dark in this chapter. Now that the New Dark Lord is known, he isn't bothering to hide himself, as you'll see.)

Disclaimer: Yeah, I know. I own nothing.

Chapter 15: The Darkness Spreads

Dudley Dursley sat in the living room watching tv while stuffing Cheese Balls into his mouth. He had been very depressed since Harry's visit. Every night he heard Harry's voice. He tried to forget it. Tried to pretend Harry never came back. But he couldn't.

"It's because he's right." thought Dudley. "No matter how much I hate to admit it. He's right."

Dudley turned the tv off, and went to get ready for bed. He was just about to get into bed when the doorbell rang, startling him.

His memory flashed back several months to the night Harry returned. Dudley had opened the door and got hit right in the face. He hesitated, then went to answer the door.

Bang! Dudley was a foot away from the door when it exploded. A cloaked figure entered the house. He pointed his wand at Dudley and said in a cold voice "Crucio!"

Dudley never screamed so loud in his life. The pain was unbearable. Finally, it stopped.

Dudley looked up at the cloaked figure and saw that he was not alone. Several other cloaked figures were behind the first one.

"Hard to believe that Harry Potter's relative is a fat muggle slob." sneered the New Dark Lord.

"Who… who are you?" Dudley gasped, forcing down the pain.

"That's none of your concern." the New Dark Lord hissed. "You're not worthy to be in my presence, let alone know who I am." He turned to his followers. "Search the house. Bring everyone to me."

Less than a minute later, Petunia was dragged from her room and thrown into the family room with Dudley.

"What do you want?" cried Petunia.

"I want Harry Potter." said the New Dark Lord calmly. "But since I can't have him at the moment, I'll settle for his friends and family."

He turned to the door. Four more Death Eaters came in, dragging two people with them. Mrs. Figg and…

"Cho!" cried Dudley.

He jumped up to try to get to her, only to be blasted by the Cruciatus Curse again.

"Stay where you are." the New Dark Lord ordered.

Dudley looked at his wife for the first time in years. His heart broke at the look he saw in her eyes. Harry was right. She had given up on life.

Turning back to the New Dark Lord, Dudley demanded answers. "What are you going to do?"

"I explained this already." replied the New Dark Lord. "I'm taking out Harry Potter's friends and family."

"If you so much as lay a finger on her!" Dudley growled.

"She is not your concern!" snapped the New Dark Lord. "You should be worrying about yourself. And how dare you threaten me! You're nothing compared to me. Let me show you a demonstration of my power."

He pointed his wand at Mrs. Figg. "Avada Kedavra!" A flash of light. And Mrs. Figg dropped dead.

Dudley and Petunia cried out as Mrs. Figg's lifeless body fell to the floor. The New Dark Lord turned back to them.

"Scream all you want." he told them. "I placed Silencing Charms over the house. In this house, no one can hear you scream."

The Death Eaters laughed at their master's joke.

"We have nothing to do with Potter." said Dudley. "Or your war. Go after him and leave us alone."

"Oh, I am going after him." said the New Dark Lord. "I'm just starting here. My next target will be his friends and family at Hogwarts."

Dudley's eye widened in realization. Drake was at Hogwarts. "Don't you hurt my son! Don't you DARE go near him!"

"He is not your concern either." said the New Dark Lord. "Like I said before, you should be worrying about yourself. Well, not at the moment."

He turned to Cho and raised his wand.

"NO!" Dudley shouted.

Three Death Eaters held him back. Dudley looked at his wife. He knew there was nothing he could do. But he had to say something while he still could.

"Cho, I'm sorry! I really am!"

Cho looked up at Dudley.

"I've been such a fool. And I made a mistake that I can never forgive myself for making. Just know that I still love you and Drake."

For the first time in years, a small spark of life appeared in Cho's eyes.

"Touching." sneered the New Dark Lord. "Avada Kedavra!"

Dudley couldn't look as the wife he abandoned was killed. The New Dark Lord laughed at the look of pain on Dudley's face.

"Save your tears, muggle." he said. "You'll be reunited soon. But, of course, ladies first."

Another flash of light and Petunia joined Cho and Mrs. Figg in the next life. Now it was just Dudley and the Death Eaters. The New Dark Lord pointed his wand at Dudley.

Dudley knew he was going to die. Two words would kill him faster than it would take to say the incantation. This was why Dudley had always feared and hated magic folk. Because they could easily abuse their powers.

Dudley's eyes filled with tears as he accepted his fate. "Will you at least spare my son?" he asked as a final request.

The New Dark Lord laughed. "I will kill anyone I wish. And I wish to kill everyone close to Harry Potter. And no miserable, broken down muggle, is going to change my mind!"

There was a flash of green light. Dudley's final thought alive was that he hoped Harry would kill this maniac before anyone else got hurt.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Harry felt guilty about the death of the Dursleys and Mrs. Figg. He felt that it was partly his fault for not assigning any Aurors protect them. The thought never even crossed his find, that the New Dark Lord would go after them.

Harry looked at the Slytherin table. Drake was sitting there, not talking to anyone. Not even eating. Harry felt so bad for him. First Dudley had left him and Cho. Then Cho lost all hope for happiness. And finally, the New Dark Lord had murdered them, merely for being related to Harry.

It was remarkable how similar the two of them were. Both their childhoods had been ruined by the Dursleys, and both their families had been killed by the dark side.

Harry got up and went over to him. He felt he needed to talk to the poor boy.

"Drake." Harry said softly. "Can I talk to you?"

Drake looked up at Harry. His expression was unreadable. Looking back down at his untouched food and said "If you must."

Harry pitied the poor kid. It was hard for him to say what he wanted. "I heard about your parents."

Drake gave a snort of laughter. "Yeah, who hasn't?"

Harry felt like this was a bad way to start the conversation. He was about to say something else, but Drake got up and began walking away. Harry hesitated, then went after him.

The two walked in silence for a minute before Drake finally spoke up. "What do you want?"

Harry sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "I know how you feel."

"You know nothing!" snapped Drake.

"Yes, I do." said Harry. "I lost my parents in the war with Voldemort too. I know how much it hurts."

"Hurts, sir?" said Drake. "You don't know how I feel. My father, abandoned me and my mother years ago. My mother never did anything for me after that. I had to take care of myself, and her. I was all alone. I've always been alone. No one has ever been there for me. And now, my parents are dead. Nothing has changed besides the fact that I won't ever see them again. So don't say you know how I feel. I don't need your pity. I don't need you. I don't need them. I don't need ANYONE!"

He yelled the last word so forcefully that it seemed to express all the pain he had been feeling over the years. Harry didn't know what to say. Drake had truly suffered in his past. And he refused anyone's help and support. Harry knew, from personal experience, that it wasn't good for him to keep all these emotions bottled up.

Drake was breathing rather hard, as if it took a great deal of effort to say what he had said. But he wasn't done yet.

"I just don't understand, sir. All this war and fighting. Why must it happen. There's no need for this pain and suffering. Why can't they just accept the truth, and let everything go. None of this would be happening. All I want is for this war to end. I just want peace."

"That's all I want too." said Harry, unable to think of anything else to say. "And you're right. This whole war is pointless. But some people, like Voldemort and his followers just can't let it go. All we can do is try to stop them. We're doing everything we can to stop this New Dark Lord before he can cause too much trouble."

Drake sighed, then said in a resigned voice. "I need to be alone."

He walked away from Harry, and headed for the Slytherin common room. Harry let him go. Perhaps Drake did just need some time alone. Time heals all wounds, as he learned from experience. How much time, depended on Drake.

Sighing, Harry headed back to the Great Hall.

(A/N: More deaths. I hated having to kill off Mrs. Figg. And poor Drake. What's he going to do?)